Final Glory
by violet-saxon
Summary: The BBA has been rebuilt. The next world tournament has been announced. But this year, there will be a twist that no one saw coming...
1. Game Changer

A/N: I got the inspiration for this at school (I'm not _in_ school, I'm a teacher) and kinda just started getting on a roll with it. First time I've written something that isn't really centric to a couple or pairing for a while, but yeah! There won't be any pairings in this, though I'm sure hints could be taken, as they are in the show. Do as you will! Don't know why I decided to start this late at night, but oh well!

Disclaimer: Beyblade is the property of its respected copyright holders. I'm making no money from this story, though goodness knows I could use some...!

* * *

One: Game Changer

_The BBA Beyblade World Championships._

_A chance to test your skill to its limits and see how far you can go. An opportunity for glory and for showcasing your talent._

_As a three-peat World Champion, it's something I always look forward to with relish. And now that the restructuring of the BBA is complete, just over a year after the BEGA Corporation tore it down, I know that the declaration for the next World Championships is just around the corner._

_To get to face my friends in the Stadium again is something I'm looking forward to. We've trained together and worked together so hard in the past year, but I know they'll go back to their home teams and that we'll be rivals once again. At first, it all had hit me hard, and I saw their departure as a betrayal, but thinking back on the amazing matches we had last time, I'm kinda glad they're defecting again. Just to feel that rush. To prove my worth as the Champ._

_Kai, I'm relying on you to bring your A-game. I expect a repeat of the last final, and I'm expecting just as much fight from you as ever before!_

* * *

"Oh, hush up, Daichi!" Hilary scolded loudly as she sat with the shorter youth in front of the television. "We won't be able to hear the announcement over your loud voice!"

"I'm impatient!" Daichi moaned just as loudly, half-flailing as he did so. The year and some that had passed in between the Justice 5 Tournament and now had done little to extend the length of the young one's patience. It had barely seen him climb a few inches in height. "I just wanna hear about the tournament now!"

"Relax already, Daichi!" Tyson interjected as he got himself comfortable on the couch beside his American friend Max. "Any minute now, Mr D will announce the new tournament and the new format and you can calm down!"

"Any minute now isn't soon enough!" the shortest in their company wailed, rolling backwards to lie flat on his back, glaring at the ceiling vehemently. Obviously whatever was above their heads had, temporarily, become the focus of young Daichi's ire, because the frustration that was being leveled at it was rolling off of him in waves. Tyson understood his impatience, but he was at an age now where he knew that patience truly was a virtue. All good things to those who wait and all that.

"It's starting!" Hilary half-squealed with excitement as a series of camera flashes started to go off intermittently at an empty seat in front of about five different microphones. Coming into view shortly afterwards was the short, bald, elderly gentleman known as Mr Dickenson, the Chairman of the BBA. He seated himself before the microphones before clearing his throat and beginning to speak.

"Good afternoon," the ageing man began, looking every inch the calm, composed man he always was at these press conferences. "Thank you very much for your attendance, and for your patience. I know it has been a long time coming, but I am here now to present to you the layout for the next BBA Beyblading World Championships."

"It's really happening!" Max grinned from ear to ear, exchanging excited looks with Tyson. They'd only been waiting for this announcement for over a year now! Ray sat with his friends, watching on with equal investment in the outcome. Kai was seated further away from the others, attempting to appear disinterested in the unfolding events but unable to deny his curiosity. They were finally going to announce when he'd next get his chance to face Tyson in the stadium.

"With the BBA's financial future secured, and with the organisation now built stronger than before, we feel that now is the best time to announce the return of the World Championships, to commence this summer, with the regional qualification heats beginning in May," Mr Dickenson continued, his audience both in the press conference and out of it rapt. "While we always endeavor to make the sport of Beyblading as exciting for the players and spectators equally, we feel that, with this being the first World Tournament since the Justice Five incident, we should return to the roots of the game. So it has been decided that the format for this year's championship will be a standard three-on-three battle system. At any time, at least four players are required on any one team, with at least one alternate to step in should the need arise, though an alternate is not, by any means, necessary to compete."

"Sweet!" Tyson exclaimed, smiling over at Ray and Max in turn. "Looks like you guys are gonna have every chance of getting to battle me again at the Worlds!" The Chinese and American bladers both smiled back at their old friend, glad that he understood what they were all thinking. The G Revolutions wouldn't be reuniting under their last-seen format for this championship; Ray would return to White Tiger X, Max would go back to the PPB All Starz and Kai would, inevitably, return to the Blitzkrieg Boys. Anything for a rematch with Tyson.

"We have decided, by default, that the BBA G Revolutions will qualify automatically in order to defend their title," the elderly gentleman resumed his speech. "I have yet to speak with them as to the format of the team for this year, but as soon as I know, you will all be informed." Another flurry of flashes and clicks came as a barrage of questions began to fly towards Mr Dickenson.

"So, you guys will need to qualify in your own areas," the bluenette grinned. "Whereas I'm gonna get to go through anyway!"

"_We_ are going through!" Daichi jumped to his feet, pointing at Tyson. "Like it or not, Tyson, you share that title with _me_! So _I_ have to defend _my_ title too!"

"Alright, alright..." Tyson laughed softly, holding his hands up to Daichi. "You and I will be a team. Chief, you in with us?" Their collective gaze turned on the young Beyblade genius, who sat huddled over his laptop whilst still observing the press conference. Some things just never changed, no matter how much time passed.

"S-sure, why not?" Kenny flushed slightly at the offer, still surprised that Tyson could consider him to be on any par with himself. "But that still leaves at least one open spot and then one possible alternate..."

"If we got desperate, we could always ask Hiro, I suppose," Tyson mused aloud as his thoughts moved on to his still AWOL older brother. "Though how I'll find him to ask him is anyone's guess... I haven't seen him since BEGA went under, but I suppose he's ashamed to show himself after that..."

Kai found his glance wandering over to the others as he overheard the comments about Hiro. It went without saying that the Russian-born Beyblader's feelings towards the older Granger were frosty, at best, but even with that taken into account, he knew that Hiro had defected for the purpose of presenting Tyson with the next hurdle to overcome, in the same way that he had defected to continue the powerful rivalry between himself and the younger Granger. The battles they had were the ones Kai felt he lived for, and he couldn't escape the buzz he felt every time they threw down in the dish. The kind of buzz you could only get from a truly worthy opponent.

"Well, the timing is good," Ray broke the silence that had unknowingly descended on the group. "My flight back to China is in two days, and then we'll have about 3 weeks to prepare for the Regional qualifications."

"I'm back to New York tomorrow night," Max quipped, setting aside his empty soda can. "I gotta admit, I'm gonna miss us all being together again! But the thought of getting to contest for the championship again is just too much of a lure!"

"Can't wait to see you guys in the stadium!" Tyson beamed. "So you guys had better qualify!" He turned his gaze over to their quiet friend, offering him a kind smile. "You too, Kai, though with your skill and how you work with the Blitzkrieg Boys, I can't imagine qualification will be difficult for you! I'd say it's a foregone conclusion!" Kai responded with an simple shrug of his shoulders, not even opening his eyes to look over at his former teammates. They'd expected as much of a reaction from him, though, and laughed softly.

"I'm gonna run over and see my dad," the blonde pushed himself up onto his feet. "Heard he got some new bases and attack rings into the shop, so I'm gonna check it out. That and I should probably spend more time with him before I go back to New York."

"I think I might tag along," Ray smiled, getting onto his feet as well. "Been a while since I've seen your dad, Max, and I wanted to check out that new equipment. Then I've got some business of my own in China Town."

"Cool," Max beamed brightly. "I'll be back later, okay Tyson?" he looked over to his dear friend who nodded, returning the smile.

"Sure! I'll still be here! Gonna talk strategy with Kenny and Daichi!" Dragoon's master responded, shooting knowing looks to his two teammates. Daichi returned the look with ferocity; Kenny was a little less eager. With this, Max and Ray departed, prompting Hilary next to get to her feet and leave, citing that she had to get home and make dinner. It wasn't long then before Kai disappeared without warning, though no one took his coming and going in an ill-meant light. Kai was just someone who came and went as he saw fit. There was no chaining him down to anything or anyone.

"Uuugh, we're out of snacks!" Daichi groaned, taking hold of his ankles and rocking back and forth on crossed legs. "That Max ate all the good stuff! What do we do now?!"

"Try not to lose what's left of your mind, Daichi!" Tyson placated him, his response clearly laced with a barb. This had the desired effect and the shortest one was effectively riled, his wrath only contained by Kenny holding him back. "I'll go out and get some more snacks. There's a convenience store three blocks over; it won't take long, I promise!" The baseball cap-clad teen clambered to his feet, dusting down his charcoal grey jeans before padding out of the room and to the door, ignoring the indignant calls from his teammate demanding he go back and face him and Strata Dragoon in the dish. Slipping into his shoes and pulling the velcro across, he headed out of the dojo compound and started off down the street towards the closest convenience store, the Lawsons three blocks over. There was a main road to cross to get to it, but there was a crossing that made the trek convenient enough.

Standing waiting at the crossing lights, the Lawsons directly across the street from him, gave Tyson pause to reflect over everything that had happened over the past year and a half. The time had strengthened the bonds between the G Revolutions as friends, so Tyson felt more secure than ever that, they could be on different sides, but they would always be the closest of friends. Rivals in the stadium, best friends out of it. Even the remarkably anti-social Kai had managed to get entangled in the mess, and Tyson couldn't help the smile that crept over his features as he thought of how close they'd become in recent times. They were able to relate to each other best when they were opponents, and it was also the time when they were the most connected. Though socially speaking, he was far more compatible with Max, the midnight blue-haired teen honestly felt that he was closer to Kai, through all they'd endured together. They were two strong players who were able to create a world all their own when they battled. His skin tingled at the thought of encountering such a battle again. The light turned green to cross, and Tyson stepped out onto the crosswalk.

The sound of a revving engine and the screech of brakes came to the ears of the World Champion far too late.

And just a block away, down an alleyway, scratching the ear of a coarse yet affectionate stray kitten, a tall Russian-born Beyblader, the master of the phoenix Bit Beast Dranzer, brought himself up to standing when he heard the sound of a speeding car hitting _something_.

* * *

"This is just unprecedented..." Mr Dickenson sounded distressed as he paced about the small waiting room in Bay City General Hospital. "The tournament is but a couple of months away, and now the World Champion may not be physically able to defend his title..."

"I think the main concern is for Tyson's physical state, whether he's going to be okay..." Hilary interjected, looking worried herself. She'd been halfway home when she'd gotten the call from Kenny that there had been a serious accident and Tyson had been badly injured and she'd sprinted straight to the hospital without delay, calling her parents on the way to let them know what was happening. She was playing with her fingers, the digits interwoven tightly, sliding between one another in a tense fashion.

It was all over the news already: Beyblade World Champion knocked down in apparent hit and run. Condition unknown, suspected critical. At the time of the incident, Kai had been the closest to the accident site and had been the one that the EMTs had requested to travel with Tyson to the hospital, with the older teen having pushed through the crowd to check Tyson himself prior to the arrival of the ambulance. He was sitting in the waiting room, away from everyone else, looking as indifferent as always, though as Max and Ray stole glances at him occasionally, they swore they could see flickers of concern behind usually impassive lavender eyes. What had surprised them all the most, however, was that Tyson's normally vocal grandfather had been painfully silent the whole time he'd been in the waiting room with them. The old man hadn't uttered a word, the worry for his youngest grandson painted painfully across his rapidly-aged features. He seemed to have lost years of his life within minutes of sitting there, waiting to hear about his grandson's condition. Before long, a grim-faced nurse entered the room, her gaze meeting theirs.

"You all here for Tyson Granger?" she enquired, though she surely already knew the answer to that. Everyone bar Kai got to their feet, with the older blader merely turning his attention to the others. "My name is Sally James; I'm the nurse assisting Dr Holden with young Mr Granger."

"H-how is he?" Tyson's grandfather finally spoke, his voice hoarse and weighed down with dread and worry. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He's suffered some very serious injuries," Nurse James responded, her grim expression set firmly across her rather plain features. "Thankfully, there's no swelling or bleeding on his brain, but he does have a broken arm, a dislocated shoulder, several cracked ribs and a minor fracture to his fibula. This is going to take weeks, if not months, to heal fully..." The news sat with those present like a bag of rocks, causing Max and Kenny to slump down back into their chairs, the shock plastered over their paled faces. They knew what this meant, just as well as anyone else did:

Tyson would be unable to participate in the World Tournament.

This was going to break his heart, but physically Tyson just wouldn't be able for the demanding training schedule, especially with a broken arm and dislocated shoulder. If he could even travel for the matches, that could be classed as miraculous. While the injuries were not life-threatening, they were enough to inflict a heartbreak on the young men in the room. There would be no rematch with Tyson at this year's World Championship, and it threw everything up into the air like dandelion fluff on a breeze. If there was no Tyson to compete against, no ultimate goal of defeating the reigning champ to attain, was there a point in the tournament at all?

"Is he awake...?" Kenny found himself finally able to speak, though his words were obviously forced out of his lips.

"Not at present, no," Nurse James responded. "He's resting. Initial x-rays would suggest that no surgical procedures are necessary, which is good with regards to his recovery time, but it doesn't diminish the seriousness of what he went through. I know well enough that he's expected to Beyblade in the upcoming World Championships, but there's no way. It's impossible. Completely inconceivable."

"That would be a twist no one would expect..." Ray spoke up softly. "The world champ unable to participate through injury... This isn't what anyone wants at all... Poor Tyson..."

"He can't have visitors right now," Nurse James continued. "But please come back in the morning. He should be conscious by then and he'll be okay to receive guests. I'm sorry I don't have better news for you... Please, excuse me..." and with that, the nurse excused herself and left them to their thoughts as they attempted to process this news.

"Nothing to do but go home and come back first thing tomorrow," Hilary broke the lengthy silence that hung heavy between them. "I know we're all worried about him, but we're forgetting that this is _Tyson_ we're talking about! He's stubborn as an ox and strong as a lion! He's going to pull through and he's going to be fine!"

"Hilary's right!" the unusually quiet Daichi leapt up, invigorated by Hilary's words of encouragement. "Tyson can't check out yet! He still has to be beaten by me! He can't bail out on me!" His reaction earned a small ripple of chuckling from the group.

"We'll be back first thing, Grandpa," Kenny reassured the elderly gentleman. "I'm sure he'll be awake and grumpy by then!" With heavy reluctance, everyone started to get to their feet and file out of the waiting room, seeing no purpose or benefit to Tyson in staying, hoping that a little sleep and some food would help to bolster their spirits to help deliver the bad news to Tyson come morning. And goodness knows that was going to be a bitter pill for the champ to swallow.

* * *

The morning's dim light filtered slowly into the white hospital room, spreading muted tendrils through the blinds and onto the face of the sleeping world champion, who stirred begrudgingly with a low groan of pain.

Why in the world did everything hurt so much? His head was pounding, his whole side was swamped in agony, from his shoulder to his foot, and he felt strangely nauseous. Deep brown eyes slowly began to take in their new surroundings and the memories began to come flooding back.

Oh yeah, he'd been in an accident. Some half-insane street racer had bowled him down like a skittle and left him in the street for dead. He remembered seeing a lot of faces peering down into his that day, but he knew that Kai's face had stood out the most, mainly because he was the last person he had expected to see in that situation. No one ever seemed to know what the master of Dranzer would do from one minute to the next, so it shouldn't have surprised him that he'd show up in such a place at such a time. He'd hoped for someone a little more sympathetic, but the older one's stability was always helpful in stressful situations, and yesterday had certainly been trying.

Slowly, he shifted himself to get more comfortable, wincing in pain as his left side continued to throb in an alarming way. When that idiot had hit him, he had to have been doing at least 70mph. How he wasn't dead was a mystery to him, though he liked to tell himself that Dragoon would always protect him from serious harm. Hilary would say it was his hard head that had protected him. Stupid Hilary.

"You shouldn't be doing that," a familiar voice floated into the world champion's ears, causing him to look towards its source, his gaze meeting with a pair of amethyst-hued eyes set into the calm face of his old friend. "Want to cause more trouble than you already have?"

"Kai...?" Tyson's voice was weak and hoarse to his own ears, and it surprised him to hear it. "Why are you here...?"

"I drew the short straw," Kai responded flatly, though the truth of the matter was quite different. He knew that the others would drag out telling Tyson the truth for as long as possible, so he figured he'd get to the hospital first and just put the truth right out there. Better ripping the band-aid right off in one go than taking it off slowly, little by little, and prolonging the necessary suffering. "I got picked to tell you the bad news."

"Bad news...?" Tyson asked slowly, sounding obviously confused. "What bad news...?"

"That you're out of the World Championships," Kai stated. His delivery was blunt and straight-forward; there was very little point in beating around about it. "Your injuries are too severe. You'd fall too far behind in training, so it's been decided that you're out."

"W-what...?" the news hit Tyson like a ton weight, the shock and heartbreak playing out evidently across his features. He had planned on this being his final shot at championship glory before taking up retirement to teach the next generation all he knew about the game and create the next incarnation of the G Revolutions. Now he lay in a sterile hospital bed, that ambition shattered at his feet by the coldly-delivered news from his friend and former teammate. "That's... I..."

"Tyson, you need to be serious about this," Kai spoke again, some agitation starting to flare in his tone. "You probably can't even hold a launcher, let alone stand up, so it's a physical impossibility for you to compete. You need to grow up, accept it and move on." Tyson was about to bite back with a bitter retort until he took in his friend's general appearance. Gone was the weighted white scarf that had become part of the older Beyblader's physical self over the years; he stood now in a dark shirt under a black jacket, loose dark pants and boots, and his hair seemed unkempt, his face drawn and tired. If Kai Hiwatari looked like this, he could only imagine what his more expressive friends actually looked like. They had obviously been through an ordeal themselves in worrying about his well-being; going out to compete as he was would only serve to stress them out further and would make the situation worse in the long run.

"... Fine," Tyson finally spoke to fill the silence. "I get it. I'm not defending my title..." a heavy sigh escaped the champion's lips before a sudden idea hit him. "But Kai... you could defend it for me, couldn't you?"

"... You're kidding..." a slate grey brow raised as he critically appraised his injured friend, thinking perhaps he _had_ been hit on the head after all.

"No, Kai..." the bluenette affixed his warm brown gaze onto the Phoenix. "The title belongs to the G Revolutions, and you're one of the G Revolutions, right? You could defend our title; take the captaincy and fight to defend it..."

"... You can't be serious," Kai state flatly, his mouth set into a grim line. "I didn't come here to defend your title in your stead, Tyson..."

"But I'm asking you to, Kai..." the younger's tone became pleading, his face contorting with pain as he attempted to shift again, causing the older of the two to roll his eyes slightly and move forward to press a button at the side of the bed, which Tyson quickly discovered controlled the level of morphine entering the IV in his arm. Soon enough, the warm, numbing effect of the painkillers washed over him like a summer wave lapped over sun-heated sand. It was blissful. "You're a good leader; you can build a team and take us to the top again... You did it before, I know you can do it again..."

"I'm not a leader, Tyson," Kai ground out, trying to emphasize his point but beginning to feel that it was a hopeless cause. "I want to be champion myself. Why would I throw that away to help you defend your title, when your absence leaves it open?"

"Because I know you're a good person under the bravado, Kai," Tyson reasoned, taking a chance in appealing to Kai's long-dormant sense of humanity. "You've never let the team down before and I don't think you're going to start now. Your goal is to battle me, but I'm not there for you to battle, so what have you got to lose in helping me?"

_My pride?_ Kai thought bitterly, but he kept the words locked in his mind. There was no point in them being said here; they would serve little to no purpose. A sigh of frustration and Kai turned on his heel to exit the room, ignorant of the desperate look that the younger one was giving him as he left. Walking down the corridor from his friend's room, the Russian-born young man found himself with a great deal to think about. Was there really anything to lose in helping Tyson? Was defending a title he didn't feel he had earned something he wanted to do? Would his own sense of pride stop him?

_Like it matters..._ Kai groaned internally as he got into the elevator. _Nothing matters. I know what I'm going to do. I'm not changing my plan. I've made up my mind._

* * *

A/N: It's SO hard to keep Kai IC when writing fanfiction, has anyone else found that? I watched all of G Revolution through again (thank you, YouTube!) to reacquaint myself with the characterizations of the characters, but I'm not sure how loyal to Kai's personality I'm going to be... Well, it's fanfiction; certain artistic liberties can be taken, surely! It's been a very long time since I've written for , so I hope you all like it! Until next time, stay excellent!


	2. Formation

A/N: Well, this has all worked out better than I thought! I entered into this with a great degree of trepidation, but it seems to be going better than I expected! Thanks to all that have read, reviewed, followed or favorited this one; hugely appreciated! :D I'll respond to individual reviewers at the end, cos that's how I roll! Though I do fear I've set the bar a little too high for myself now, d'oh! Let's see if I can keep the magical roll I appear to be on. Anything has to be better than what I used to write on here -dies a little inside-

Disclaimer: Me no own Beyblade. The Man owns Beyblade. No profits are being made from this crazy venture, "though one very blonde rat has become terribly conceited" (A Vicar of Dibley quote, possibly paraphrased, for any of my countrymen who know it! :D)

* * *

Two: Formation

_Out of the World Championships._

_Those words reverberated in my skull for the best part of two weeks. One accident and I was benched. It served to put mortality into some serious perspective for me. You always believe nothing bad will ever happen to you until it happens. Well, I always did, anyway..._

_The morphine IV in my arm became my only comfort as I attempted to console myself to the idea of not defending my title, and knowing that Kai had essentially refused to defend it for me. What was this going to mean for the G Revolutions? For Daichi and Kenny? For the Championship? People were entering this to fight against me, and I wasn't going to be there..._

_I won't lie; I was mad as hell for the majority of that two week period. Kenny and Hilary had to have found my attitude exasperating, but they kept coming to visit anyway. Daichi's visits were intermittent, as he didn't want to skip out on any training. He was still intent on entering the tournament, anyway. Maybe I should have asked him to defend the title instead of Kai..._

_No way. In the grand scheme of things, Daichi is still young and inexperienced on the tournament circuit. Kai is a seasoned veteran at fighting, intimidating and winning. No one puts fear into another blader quite like Kai._

_But the question continued to haunt me, even in my waking hours: what was going to happen to the G Revolutions? How would the tournament fare now? With us, under new leadership? Or without...?_

* * *

"Want me to fluff your pillow for you, Tyson?" Hilary offered kindly, getting up from her plastic seat to move over to the young Dragon's bed, gently nudging him forward and she pried his pillow away and set about fluffing it before returning it and laying him back. Nearly three weeks had passed since the accident and Tyson was still hospitalized. The nature of his injuries meant that moving was virtually impossible, though he was improving with every day, with the help of the resident physiotherapist, and Dr Holden had promised that, as soon as he was able to make some basic movements unaided, he would be released from their care. Truth be told, the pain Dragoon's master was still in was all-consuming, so he was quite grateful for the IV shunt in his arm that provided him with comfort and pain relief, though his dosage had been cut back in recent days to prevent a growing dependency on the drug.

Max had taken his scheduled flight back to New York, at Tyson's insistence. He didn't want Max's performance in the Championships to suffer as a result of what had happened to him, so he had sent both him and their Chinese friend on their way to train with their teams. Tyson admittedly felt pangs of sadness when reminded of the fact that he wouldn't be meeting them in the stadium after all, but he had reached a point now where he had fallen into an unsteady acceptance of his situation. No one knew where Kai had gone; the general consensus was that he had returned to Russia to train with the Blitzkrieg Boys, and Tyson had neither seen nor heard from him since their private encounter the morning after the accident, so the bluenette was comfortable in his conclusion.

_I figured he wouldn't agree to it... _Tyson thought sadly as he sunk back into the newly-fluffed pillow, watching Kenny fiddle with the antenna on the TV set in the room, his brow creased in deep concentration. At least that's what Tyson and Hilary assumed, because no one could quite make out Kenny's brow under that heavy mop of unkempt brown hair.

"I brought along some Peach Tea, did you want some?" the brunette young woman broke Tyson out of his internal doldrums as she held up a large carton of cold Peach Tea. Peach Tea was one of his grandfather's favorites in the summer, and it was terribly refreshing when poured over ice. "I've got some Apple Water or Milk Tea in here as well, if you'd rather..." she mused aloud, diving into the cooler bag at her feet to see what else she had brought along to cheer up her friend. As much as he was an avid fan of food, what they provided at Bay City General could barely be classed as being derived from something edible, let alone considered a meal.

"The Peach Tea is fine, thanks Hil," Tyson responded, seeking the cooling refreshment that his grandfather's favorite summer beverage provided. Hilary was still taken aback by just how much the accident had almost _humbled_ her friend; while he was starting to claw back some of his less charming personality traits, he had been a shell of himself since he had been admitted to hospital. Kenny put it down to the trauma of the incident, compounded by his removal from the World Championship, and the brunette girl couldn't fault the logic. Tyson had been through a great deal in the last few weeks, and it would take him just as long to recover physically as it would mentally.

"I'll go hunt down some ice chips for you, then," Hilary stated with a smile, picking up one of the plastic tumblers beside the bed before looking over at the shorter brunette who was still engrossed in his task. "Kenny, can you hurry that up and help me set up lunch for Tyson? I'm not made of arms, you know!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Kenny apologized as he began to fix the cables back into the rear of the television set. "I'm done now, promise! I'll get right on it!" A groan escaped the girl's lips as she left the two old friends alone in the room on her search for ice chips. "I saw on KNN Sports this morning that Mr Dickenson is giving another press conference ahead of the regional qualification heats this afternoon," the young tech whizz continued, turning his attention to Tyson as he adjusted the television into his friend's line of sight. "I know this place doesn't get KNN, so I had to mess around with the TV a bit. I figured you wouldn't want to miss it. From what I've come to understand, it's important as to the future of the G Revolutions without you..."

"Yeah..." Tyson responded flatly, a lump starting to form in his throat as his upset and frustration mounted. The situation that he found himself in was the primary instigator of these feelings, though he couldn't deny that Kai's refusal of his offer was intermingled in there as well, alongside Max and Ray's defection. Despite knowing of the latter subject well in advance, the change in circumstances hadn't signaled any change of heart on either of their parts, and while he had been glad enough to send them on their way, he'd done it in a way so as to hide his own hurt. He had expected it of Kai, in all honesty, but them? He had hoped they would have stayed to defend the honor of the team they were once all a part of.

"Tyson..." Kenny's voice was laced with concern as he set his laptop aside and took the seat at Tyson's bedside that had recently been vacated by Hilary. "I know you're upset about the tournament, and about Ray, Max and Kai, but you can't control any of it... None of it is your fault and this is just how things have worked out this time..."

"I know, Chief..." Tyson tried to mask the irritation in his voice, but failed, noticing the flicker of tension flutter through the younger one's frame. "But I just want to be out there! I want to defend my title! I want to meet Max, Ray and Kai in the stadium, like I promised! I don't want to be holed up here with casts and bandages all over me!"

"Tyson, for goodness' sake, grow up already!" Hilary interjected, her tone chastising as she re-entered the room, tumbler of ice chips in hand, setting it down on the table that bridged over Tyson's bed and proceeding to open up the carton of tea, pouring it slowly over the ice before sealing it again, returning it to the cooler bag. "You really need to get over your hang-ups about the Championships! You can't enter! End of story! No amount of whining is going to change that, so why bother? Why not just support your friends in their endeavors instead?" Tyson's jaw tightened, his initial reaction being one of indignant agitation, but that was quickly overcome by the tightening sensation in his gut that he got any time that he came to this dangerous conclusion:

Hilary was right.

Like it or not, the bluenette had to admit that the young woman had made a valid argument. Despite her tone in her delivery, Tyson had gotten the general message behind it and, once the annoyance had subsided, felt a reluctant acceptance of her words start to wash over him. It was true; he could complain until the cows came home, but it wouldn't make him able to compete. His energies would be better served supporting his friends as opposed to wallowing in self-pity, as he had been admittedly doing for the past two-and-a-half weeks.

"Guys! Look!" Kenny's half-excited remark dusted away any potential argument forming between Tyson and Hilary, drawing their attention to where he was pointing at the TV screen. Amidst the usual array of clicks and camera flashes sat Mr Dickenson, calm and collected as ever. How he did it was anyone's guess, because this situation was far from ideal.

"Good afternoon, everyone," the elderly man began. "Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I am sure it has not escaped your attention that the BBA G Revolutions' start player, Tyson, was in a serious accident some weeks ago and was declared unable to participate in the upcoming World Championships to defend his title." The bluenette felt bile rise in his throat at hearing the words in such an official capacity. The word was out, now: Tyson wasn't competing. Had it not been global knowledge prior to this, thanks to the internet, it definitely was now. "After some careful deliberations, and considering the feelings of the fans and of the players, a decision has been reached as to the future of the G Revolutions team."

"Am I late?!" a flash of red hair darted across Tyson's vision as Daichi slid into the room, panting, his general condition suggesting that he had been out and about training with Strata Dragoon. He settled himself carelessly on the end of the bed, cross-legged, managing to artfully ignore the howl of pain emanating from the master of Dragoon at having his leg so unceremoniously hit. "What have I missed?!"

"Nothing yet..." Kenny replied, his worry etched into his words as he noticed Tyson's temper start to fray. Only Mr Dickenson's continuation was able to placate the irate Dragon.

"It has been decided that the G Revolutions _will_ enter this year's World Championship, but under a new captaincy," Mr Dickenson announced, and the clicks and flashes came about in a mad flurry of activity at the news. "While it is deeply regrettable that we will not see Tyson play this year, it was decided to not deprive his teammates, Daichi and Kenny, of the honor of getting to defend the title this year."

"A new captain...?" Tyson gaped, the words coming out stilted and shocked. It had already been decided and a captain chosen? Without consulting him? Or any of the others, even? This seemed highly irregular behavior for Mr Dickenson.

"I don't know anything about a new captain..." Kenny murmured, his earlier worry returning full force, backed up by building dread as to who they would have to adapt to next.

"This is a joke!" Daichi growled, waving a fist in the air. "How can they pick a captain for _our_ team without telling us?!"

"Maybe you'd find out if you _listened_?!" Hilary ground out in annoyance, shooting Daichi a dark glare, a wordless suggestion for him to hear out the rest of the conference.

"But before I announce the next captain of the G Revolutions," the old man resumed his well-rehearsed speech. "I would like to address the matter of the remaining two open spaces on the BBA G Revolutions team. After careful deliberations with the Board and with the new captain, we have decided to host an tournament here in Bay City to determine who will have the right to the final two available spaces on the team. It was our unified wish that everyone with the potential be given an equal chance to challenge for these coveted places, and sign-ups for the tournament will begin at 5pm today and close at 12pm on Saturday, with the first matches taking place at the newly-rebuilt Turbo Dome in the city at 12:30 in the afternoon.

"The structure of the team will be set that Kenny shall be the selected alternate for the G Revolutions, while Daichi and the team captain will be two of the four first-team members," Mr Dickenson continued. "But I feel enough has been said at this point and it is time to let actions speak for me. Without further fanfare, please allow me to introduce the new captain of the G Revolutions." The BBA Chairman's attention was drawn over to the right-hand side of the room, where voices suddenly became raised, heralding the return of the furious camera flashes and loud shutter clicks as reporters from all over the globe fell over themselves to catch the first glimpse of the new BBA G Revolutions captain.

"Ugh! Who is it?!" Tyson growled in frustration, annoyed that the KNN TV crew had yet to bring their attention to the newcomer, whom everyone in the room was anxious to meet. This man, or even woman, would carry the torch on Tyson's behalf and lead Kenny and Daichi, and two chosen others, on the path to defending the World Championship title.

So you could imagine their unified shock when the face of Kai Hiwatari came into view.

"K-Kai?!" Tyson spluttered, his body lurching forward of its own accord, the pain that ripped through him as a result of this action easily nullified by the total shock of seeing the Russian-born Beyblader standing as the newly-unveiled captain of the G Revolutions. He looked entirely unimpressed and unfazed by the blinding attention of the world press that was now focused solely on him, standing calmly beside Mr Dickenson as questions were hurled towards them left, right and center.

"Is this for real?!" Daichi shrieked, leaning over the edge of the bed to get a better look at the TV screen. "Kai?! I thought he'd gone back to Tala and the Blitzkrieg boys!"

"So did I..." Tyson was utterly dazed by this newest revelation; he hadn't expected Kai to agree to his proposal in a million years, especially after how they had left things all those weeks back, but there he stood, as captain of their team, ready to defend the title for a fourth consecutive year. He couldn't help the bloom of joy that filled his heart at this. Even if Ray and Max remained with their home teams, Kai was fighting the good fight for the G Revolutions, contrary to what anyone would have ever expected of him. "But that's Kai for you, Daichi; he doesn't like being predictable! He always has to go against the grain!"

Cameras continued to flash and questions continued to whirr around the dual-haired Beyblader, who allowed the elderly man at his side to do all the talking, remaining silent. He hadn't signed up for this media circus, but he'd come along to the press conference as a favor to Mr Dickenson. While the old man answered yet another question regarding the team qualification tournament this weekend, Kai allowed his thoughts to drift back to when he had met Mr Dickenson to discuss the future of the G Revolutions.

* * *

[2 and a half weeks ago...]

"Oh dear..." Mr Dickenson sighed from his seat behind his desk, shuffling through documents from various press entities asking after the condition of the BBA's star player. For such a terrible accident to befall Tyson at such a time had been an awful stroke of bad luck, but now it was done and there was no undoing it. He had charged himself with dealing with the inevitable media furore; he was of the strong belief that Tyson didn't want to have to deal with this drama while he was starting his slow-paced recovery. But what could he possibly say to placate these people? The future of the BBA's flagship team was in disarray, with its star knocked out of the tournament with his injuries, and no decision had yet been reached as to where they should go from here. Worse still, he had heard nothing from Ray, Max or Kai as to their stance on this. It all made things incredibly tricky. "I really don't know what to do about all of this..."

"Mr Dickenson," a slightly garbled female voice came out of the intercom on his desk. "Kai Hiwatari is here to see you." This caused the old man to drop his papers and stare at the intercom in abject surprise. Kai? He so rarely paid the office a visit, and would never even dare to approach the building for the sake of a social call, so this had to be some manner of business pertaining to the tournament.

_But what...?_ Mr Dickenson allowed himself to wonder as he ran a small towel over his head, closing his eyes to give himself a moment of composition.

"Thank you, Denise," he responded calmly after pressing the button on the device on his desk. "Please, show him in." A short while later, the tall master of Dranzer entered the office. He looked much better than he had done a few short days ago, after Tyson's accident, wearing a full-sleeved short black jacket over a dark blue shirt, black pants and black boots, his customary white scarf back in its place around his neck. The young man stood before the desk in silence for some time, his expression giving away little of his reasoning for coming. "How may I help you today, Kai?" Mr Dickenson spoke first to break the growing tension in the room.

"I'm here about the G Revolutions," Kai responded bluntly. "I want to lead them in the World Championships, in Tyson's stead." The shock must have played out in an obvious way on the old chairman's face, because a slate-colored eyebrow raised critically at the emotional response garnered.

"This is unexpected, Kai..." Mr Dickenson finally managed to collect his thoughts enough to vocalize them, recovering from the initial shock brought on by Kai's declaration. "I had quite expected you to rejoin your team, the Blitzkrieg Boys, for this tournament..."

"I had a change of plans," the younger one ground out neatly, his facial expression showing mild annoyance. "I was asked to captain the G Revolutions, so that's what I'm here to do."

"It's quite rare of you to do anything asked of you, Kai," Mr Dickenson spoke without really thinking, adding to his statement when he noticed the air about the other start to prickle. "Well, in that you very rarely follow anyone's requests. You've always been a young man to go your own way and forge your own path towards your own goals..."

"And there's nothing wrong with that," Kai snapped, his body tensing ever so slightly. "But I don't see a point in wasting time going through a championship when the champion won't be competing. I'll waste my energy against half-baked opponents for an easy victory. Without Tyson, there's little point in me even _entering_ this tournament."

"So why are you?" the question was out of the old gentleman's lips before he had time to vet it. But now that it was out there, he allowed it to hang in the air, awaiting an answer.

"... Because I hate to do what is expected of me," came the half-smug response from the young Beyblader. "I don't follow what everyone else believes or expects of me. I choose my destiny. I and I alone decide my fate." Kai then turned on his heel and moved towards the door, white scarf billowing out behind him, stopping before reaching the exit and turning to look over his shoulder at the BBA chairman. "I don't want this to be a sham. Hold a tournament to decide the last two places for the team. Being on this team should be a privilege, not a right. I can't help Kenny and Daichi's inclusion, but I think _everyone_ should have to work for it..." and with these words still lingering in the room like pollen spores in the heat of summer, the young Hiwatari left the office with very little fanfare, giving Mr Dickenson pause to assimilate everything that had just been said.

_Was he implying that Ray and Max may wish to reclaim their places in the G Revolutions line up, ahead of their places on their home teams?_ The old man pondered as he processed Kai's words thoroughly. His tone and word choice suggested as much; he expected the Chinese Blader and the younger blonde to want their places back by default, but it seemed the Russian-born Blader wasn't about to just hand them the chance without them proving they were worthy of it. The old man couldn't help the light chuckle that escaped his lips at the notion. No one was ever in for an easy ride when Kai Hiwatari was in charge. They should remember that from the Bladebreakers' first outing as a team...

[End flashback]

* * *

There was only so much of this media fanfare that the Phoenix could tolerably stand, and after another five minutes of a persistent barrage of camera flashes, shutter snaps and questions, Kai wordlessly excused himself from the conference and left Mr Dickenson alone to do what he had been doing prior. Tyson couldn't help but laugh as he watched Kai leave, laughing harder at the slightly aghast look on Mr Dickenson's face at Kai's abrupt departure from the press conference.

"He's impossible to read!" Tyson sighed contentedly, sparing a glance over to Kenny and Daichi. "You guys are gonna be fine with Kai in charge. I have no doubt he can lead this team to victory."

"It'll be a cake walk!" Daichi declared proudly, a smug grin plastered across his tanned face, rubbing his nose with a finger. "Kai's the best endurance Blader out there! I don't think there's a player alive that could take him down! Except maybe me!"

"Daichi, you have yet to beat Kai in the dish!" Tyson groaned. "He's got formidable skill, that goes without saying. He more than proved his worth against Brooklyn as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, so I know he'll make a great team, whoever he gets to join you guys."

"Do you think Ray and Max will try to defect back to the G Revolutions?" Hilary mused aloud, speaking the question on the minds of everyone in the room.

"A part of me hopes they will," Tyson responded honestly. "But you can never tell. They've been training with their teams for so long now, they probably have their places cemented in them. But it would be so sweet if they came back! The greatest team in history, together again to contend for the finals. Minus me, of course..."

"You can't still feel sour about that, Tyson!" Hilary wailed, betraying too much of her exasperation on the topic with her words. "Kai took on the captaincy like you wanted! That should be enough to hold you over, right?"

"... Yeah," the bluenette couldn't stop the megawatt grin that quickly consumed his lightly tanned features, turning it on his female friend. "But I have a lot of work to do, as well. I may not be playing, but I'm not going to be left behind! I need to get out of this bed so I can travel for the matches!"

"Are you serious?!" Kenny half-shrieked at the suggestion. "Tyson, you're still on strong painkillers and your arm and leg are both still in a cast! How are you hoping to travel for the matches?! It just can't happen!"

"Where there's a will, there's a way, Chief!" Tyson responded, his determination burning brightly in his brown eyes. "I want to be able to support them and I don't want to see the matches from a TV screen! By whatever means necessary, I'm getting out of this bed and I'm going to travel for the tournament! And I'm relying on you guys to help me!"

"Oh, Tyson..." Hilary sighed, defeated, watching as Daichi bounded off the bed to begin babbling with Tyson about ways to get him out of bed and ready for the tournament. There was no sense in arguing the matter; Tyson Granger was stubborn as an ox, and strong as a lion, after all. The brunette young woman smiled, turning her hazelnut-colored gaze onto her dear friend as he chatted animatedly with their two shorter companions.

_It's Tyson. Anything is possible_.

* * *

Saturday came along in an almost blur for the recuperating World Champion. He'd put his efforts with his physiotherapist into overdrive and was progressing well, actually being able to flex his limbs without too much discomfort, the necessity for pain medication starting to lessen. He'd been loaned the use of a wheelchair by the hospital and he'd developed an effective method for getting into and out of it on his own, even with his arm broken. It was all very pleasing for the young bluenette, who sat today in said wheelchair to watch the tournament set to decide the final two members of the G Revolutions. While his doctor had refused to allow him to leave the hospital to see the matches in person, concerned as to what effect the ensuing media frenzy would have on his progressive recovery, he had allowed a larger television to be moved into his room so he could really enjoy the matches. Kenny had fawned over the installation process, but in the end it was only Hilary who came to join Tyson in watching the matches on TV. Tyson had insisted that his grandfather be present in the stadium for the tournament, with Kenny and Daichi, who had an obligation to attend as two-fifths of the G Revolutions team. Kai was, of course, present to oversee the matches and have the final say in his team's construction.

"Are you excited?" Hilary turned to ask her friend, who seemed much more comfortable in himself and alive than he had been in recent weeks. The sight filled her with a warm relief, seeing the old Tyson starting to return and that spark of life flushing into his cheeks.

"Totally stoked!" came the bluenette's joy-laced response. "Of course, I wish I was in the stadium cheering them on, but I know I'll be able to support them for the matches in the Finals, and I know they'll make it all the way!"

"Iiiit's finally here!" the familiar yell of DJ Jazzman distracted the two from their conversation and brought their attention to the television. "After all this waiting, all the tension and build-up, the BBA G Revolutions' Qualification tournament is here! Today, two giants will be chosen from amongst many to take their place amongst the elite of the Beyblading world with the G Revolutions team! With team star Tyson out of commission, this tournament has been thrown wide open and promises to be the most exciting event in the history of the sport! But the title won't be easy to claim if G Revolutions' captain Kai has anything to say about it!" the exuberant Master of Ceremonies gestured to where Kai was seated on the sidelines, the expected disinterested expression painted all over the Blader's pale face. He wasn't here to play it up for the media or for the fans; he was here to build his team and get started on their rigorous training regime. "With him at the helm of the World Championship-winning team, and charged with carrying the heavy mantle once worn by team hero Tyson, will they be able to retain the title that they've held for three consecutive World Championships?! Today we see the beginning of a journey as we witness the selection of this powerhouse team and see them test to cement their place in history as the greatest team Beyblading has ever known!" The crowd in the Turbo Dome erupted into loud cheers and screams of excitement and Jazzman built up the tension in the stadium. He certainly knew how to work a room, irregardless of the size.

"Good afternoon, Beyblade fans, I'm Brad Best," another familiar voice permeated the room, as Beyblade commentator Brad Best began his segment.

"And I'm AJ Topper!" the much higher-pitched voice of AJ followed behind his colleague. "And boy, are we excited for this tournament! No one expected Kai to defect from the Blitzkrieg Boys and go back to his old pals at the G Revolutions, but Kai has never been one to conform and here we find him now! Ready to lead the champions out to their destiny!"

"You said it, AJ," Brad agreed soundly. "This was billed as being the tournament to rival all sporting events _prior_ to this development, and it's certainly living up to the expectation! We'd like to take this chance, though, to wish G Revolutions star Tyson a swift recovery from his injuries."

"Amen to that!" AJ echoed his colleague's sentiments. "You get back on your feet soon, Tyson! We're all gonna miss you this year!" His words garnered a warm smile from the watching bluenette, Hilary looking over at him to return one of her own.

"Without further ado, let's get this tournament started!" DJ Jazzman took control once again to whip the audience into a frenzy. "We've divided up the contenders into two blocks, Block A and Block B, and the winners of each group will go through to take the two spots remaining on the front line of the G Revolutions! And we've got the absolute cream of the crop here for you today!" More raucous applause and cheering exploded within the stadium. "And there are two shock entries to the tournament today that will knock your socks off!" With a flourish, he gestured over to the Player Board, two familiar faces on it drawing shocked gasps from both Tyson and Hilary.

"So they _did_ defect..." Hilary muttered, her gaze affixed on the screen, unable to tear it away.

"That's right!" Jazzman drawled for effect. "We have former G Revolutions' stars Max and Ray in Blocks A and B respectively! These two weren't granted automatic ascension to the ranks of their former teammates, ohhhh no! They're gonna have to work for it against a wall of tough competition and prove to former teammate and current captain Kai that they have the skill and the tenacity to be part of this team!"

The camera panned over, first to where Max stood and then to where Ray stood on the opposite side of the stadium, both young men wearing determined expressions. Kai observed them both with interest, a brow quirking as a half-smirk tugged at his lips.

"Well, this should make things interesting..." the Russian-born master of Dranzer muttered to himself.

"The qualification tournament is about to start!" Jazzman began again, thrusting a hand up into the air. "This tournament will, no doubt, steal the thunder of the other regional qualification heats, but no one can deny the electricity in the stadium today! What the outcome will be, no one knows!"

* * *

A/N: I'm gonna be sweating about the whole IC thing at the end of every chapter, haha! I'll learn to tune out the concerns when I get more confident in the swing of writing for this fandom again. Hope you liked the latest installment! Review if you have the time! It's very much appreciated! And as promised, individual replies to the reviewers for the last chapter:

**James Birdsong:** Thanks for the review! Very much appreciated! :D

**Sprintingfever:** Thank you so much for your kind words! I was honestly so worried about doing this after so many years out of the game (it's been around 6 or 7 years now), but your words have encouraged me :) In answer to your question, yes there will be a few OCs and you'll meet them as the story progresses! Hope you keep reading! xx

**secretsareneverkepthiddenfor ve:** Awww thank you! I'm so glad you like it! I see you're following me as well, which is super sweet of you, my dear! I'll keep this updated for you, of course! Hope you'll keep reading and keep reviewing! xx

As always, stay excellent people! ;D xx


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